Dallas County Defense Blog

Texas DWI Defense Attorney Warns Drivers about No Refusal Period during the Holidays

All drivers who will be going anywhere in Texas during the next couple of weeks will want to be aware that the Texas Department of Public Safety will be conducting a no refusal period through the holiday season. Law enforcement officials will be out on patrol in increased numbers throughout the state, and officers do not need much justification at all to stop a vehicle. Speeding, suspicion of a seat belt violation, burnt out lights, and many other things can attract the attention of an officer and bring you and your vehicle to a stop on the side of the road

Drivers who don’t yet know what a no refusal period is need to know that a no refusal period is a time during which if a driver who is suspected of DWI refuses to participate in roadside blood or breath testing, police officers can apply for a warrant that would enable them to draw the driver’s blood involuntarily.

Last year, during the eight-day no refusal period, officers arrested over four hundred and fifty drivers under suspicion of DWI. They issued nearly ten thousand speeding tickets and almost nine hundred seat belt or child safety seat tickets. Over three hundred fugitives were arrested, and officers made nearly three hundred felony arrests.

Fortunately, there are things that drivers can do to stay safe and keep themselves out of the spotlight this holiday season. Planning ahead for transportation to and from events where you will be enjoying alcohol can go a long way towards making your holiday season safe, enjoyable, and free of the headaches and hassles that come along with a DWI arrest. If it has been a while since you assessed the public transportation options in your area, you might learn that there are more choices than you might expect. You might also choose to ride with a designated driver or even spend the night at or near the celebrations that you plan to attend.

When you do drive, keep in mind that even if you are completely sober, certain behaviors are likely to draw attention to you and your vehicle. For example, driving while you are tired or fatigued can give the appearance that you are driving while you are intoxicated, even if you have not consumed a single drop of alcohol. A drowsy driver can look so much like a drunk driver that this is perhaps the most important driving behavior other than drunk driving itself to avoid during the no refusal period. Drowsy driving could not only get you noticed and stopped by law enforcement; it could lead to a DWI investigation and even to an arrest depending upon how your traffic stop proceeds.

Common sense driving and safety tips can also go a long way towards keeping you free from unwanted law enforcement attention. Always wear your safety belt, and ask all passengers to wear theirs too. Drive with the flow of traffic, adjust your speed for road conditions and avoid distractions, especially cell phones. Also, be sure to move over or slow down if you see a police car, disabled vehicle, or emergency vehicle on the side of the road.

If you are arrested for DWI during the holiday no refusal period or at any other time, let Jack Pettit, Attorney at Law, help you with your Texas DWI case. Texas DWI Defense Attorney Pettit has assisted a number of Texas DWI clients with their cases, and he would like to help you. To learn more, please call 214-521-4567 today.

This entry was posted
on Tuesday, December 6th, 2016 at 4:55 pm and is filed under DWI/Traffic Defense.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.

The Law Office of Jack Pettit, Attorney at Law, is pleased to serve ticket clients in Dallas County, Texas, including all Justice of the Peace courts and the city courts of Dallas, Cedar Hill, Cockrell Hill, Farmers Branch, Grand Prairie, Highland Park, Hutchins, Irving, Seagoville, Sunnyvale and University Park and criminal clients from all cities in Dallas County.